Club Life: Family XIs, triple-hundreds and star bowlers

The Cricketer dives into some of the stories from around the club scene...

The Maguires take on Mountain Ash

There was a potentially tricky day for the scorers at Monmouth CC on June 11, with not one, not two, but four Maguires lining up for the home side against Mountain Ash.

Captain Mike Maguire was joined by his three daughters Megan, Lauren and Shannon in the third XI, marking the first time the quartet had all played together.

Each daughter took a wicket in the first innings, with Lauren taking 1 for 42, Megan 1 for 49 and Shannon 1 for 48 as Mountain Ash closed on 299 for 3.

In reply, Monmouth were all out for 114 but Mike had the opportunity to bat with all of his children as he made 23 at No.8 – the second-highest knock for his side.

^{Scarlett Hughes, pictured batting for Sunrisers, scored a triple-hundred for Billericay Blaze [Harry Trump/Getty Images]}

Triple-hundred for Scarlett Hughes

Scarlett Hughes is having a 2022 to remember.

The young wicketkeeper, who turned 20 a few weeks ago, made her senior debut for Sunrisers in May and while she couldn’t help her side to victory in any of their six matches, she did complete two catches and seven stumpings – second only to England wicketkeeper Amy Jones.

And on June 12 – the day after Southern Vipers lifted the Charlotte Edwards Cup – the then-teenager hit the headlines after scoring a triple-hundred for Billericay Blaze against Harold Wood in the Essex Women’s Premier League.

Opening the batting, she scored 306 runs before retiring not out. Fellow Sunriser Kelly Castle also contributed 176 runs a monster total of 541 for 3.

Billericay went on to win by 483 runs after bowling Harold Wood out for just 58.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Castle said: "I've never seen someone strike the ball so cleanly and so consistently. It's not often you walk off the pitch after scoring 176, but playing second fiddle to someone scoring 300-plus. I feel incredibly lucky to witness first-hand what was being achieved."

Young Corby bowler grabs six-for

Freddie McGeown is making a name for himself in the Northamptonshire Cricket League after picking up 6 for 21 for S&L Corby CC’s 4th XI against Kettering Town 5th XI on June 11.

The 11-year-old, named after Freddie Flintoff, is playing his first season in senior cricket, with the club obtaining special permission from the league for him to play.

With his side aiming to defend 96, McGeown bowled Tuco Shan for a duck before later picking up five quick wickets (Richard Clark, Rob Thompson, Adam Spencer, Suraj Dholakia and Michael Tanser) to reduce Kettering from 81 for 3 to 89 for 8.

Corby went on to seal a two-run win after dismissing Kettering Town for 94.

^{Balderton CC bowler Tom Shepherd bowled at the likes of Ollie Pope and Tom Latham in the nets at Trent Bridge [Stu Forster/Getty Images]}

Nottingham bowler nets at Trent Bridge

A local bowler swapped the Nottinghamshire Premier League for nets at Trent Bridge after being asked to bowl at New Zealand and England ahead of the second Test.

Tom Shepherd, a seam bowler for Balderton CC, was invited to the ground by Andy Pick and soon found himself bowling at the likes of Ollie Pope and Tom Latham.

"I wouldn’t say I was nervous; no one was looking at me," Shepherd told The Cricketer. "It was exciting. It’s good to be around people who are really professional because you can learn so much, even just watching.

"At that level, if your line and length isn’t on it, the punishment is so much higher. I bowled at Ollie Pope for 10 minutes and bowled two bouncers at him. One was at his head and he went under it; the other was just past his head and he absolutely crashed it away."

Shepherd could find himself bowling at Trent Bridge again later this summer when India and England contest an ODI at the ground.